Being By Myself Is Simple
by HazyMoonDragon
Summary: Akari is enjoying her life as a farmer, but a friend points out that she seems to be missing something: romance. Based off of the events of Animal Parade.  Rated M for overall safety and some lemon.
1. Meeting With Kathy

Akari woke from a deep sleep suddenly. By now, seasons of waking up at six in the morning had made a permanent impression on her body's internal clock. She wondered vaguely as she slipped out of bed if she would even be capable of sleeping in if she so desired. She dressed herself quickly, a simple shirt and skirt combination with soft boots. Forgoing the opportunity to look in the mirror, she instead proceeded straight to chores. A fresh crop of Buckwheat had only recently sprouted from the cold winter ground, requiring her attention. Beyond that, there were also animals to feed. She sighed, stretching her shoulder blades to crack her back. A soft meow interrupted her as she reached for the doorknob. She glanced behind her to see Kitka, a small black kitten that she had come across earlier that year and taken in. She gave Kitka's back a scratch before heading toward the door again.

It was a cloudy day. Snow crunched under her boots as she made her way toward the vegetable patch. She admitted that work had been very difficult at first, but she had become used to the strain. At this point, she could get her chores done in less than an hour, partially thanks to the old blacksmith for upgrading her watering can. When she was satisfied that each plant was taken care of, she made a beeline toward the coop, where a solitary chicken and duck eagerly awaited her. They pecked at her feet when she entered the coop, honking and clucking incessantly. Dancing around the two of them, Akari emptied a feedbag for them, stopping only to collect the eggs, and hastened her way out. She moved instead to the barn, where a cow, sheep, and horse all awaited her. Rather than frisking her as the poultry had done, they simply stayed in their respective stalls, making soft noises of longing as she approached the food bin. After they had all been fed, brushed, pet, and the cow milked, Akari wandered to the edge of her property, where a small natural hot spring could be found. Sighing with relief, she folded her clothes neatly and lowered herself into the water.

_What do I need to do next?_ She pondered, closing her eyes. The yellow bell had only recently been chimed, that left three still neglected. She remembered her shock at finding a pink frog in the middle of Fugue Forest where she had expected to find a witch. _That,_ she thought silently, _was problematic in itself._ Finn had mentioned some kind of wizard living in Harmonica Town, but she had never heard of any. Maybe the mayor would know who Finn was talking about. She collected her clothing and headed back to the house. Now that she was clean, she bustled through her kitchen, preparing a snack for herself. As she was beginning to chop up a head of lettuce, a soft rap came from the other side of the door.

"Akari!" called a familiar female voice. Akari smiled softly, opening the door to revel a young woman with a long blonde ponytail. Compared to most of the other citizens of Harmonica Town, her style of dress was downright gaudy. A strapless bra was half-heartedly concealed beneath long sleeved cowgirl shirt that was itself only half there. A slim belly led to a fringed skirt that covered even less, long legs finally ending in vintage cowboy boots.

"Hello Kathy." Akari said, nodding her head slightly in greeting. "What brings you here?"

"What else?" said Kathy, a slight frown tugging at her lips, "Man trouble."

"Ah." Akari sighed, "Well, come in." Kathy shuffled past her, taking her usual place at Akari's table. Absentmindedly, she began petting Kitka.

"Well, it all started when Owen beat me in a horse race-a first, I may add." She began, rolling her eyes. "The thing is, I never would have imagined that he could actually beat me, so we made a little bet."

"Don't tell me." Akari said, looking at Kathy dryly.

"It was just a kiss! Anyway, I leaned in to do it, and he ran away! Then he teased me about actually going through with it. What nerve." Kathy ranted, shaking her head as angry red patched appeared on her cheeks. Kitka meowed in protest of being ignored.

"Well yeah, but you probably shouldn't have bet him over a horse race…" Akari said, smirking.

"Oh spare me." Kathy waved her hand dismissively. "Anyway, how have you been? I've seen you paling around with Candace a lot lately."

"Oh? Yeah, I suppose. She's difficult to talk to sometimes, but she's a nice girl. I dunno."

"Is she really going to pursue Julius?" Kathy asked, raising her eyebrows. "Maybe it's just me, but doesn't he seem… a little… I don't know…"

"Flamboyant?" Akari suggested, also raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah. So it's not just me then?"

"Nah. I'll admit that I was pretty skeptical, but what the heck, they seem happy enough."

"And what about YOU?" Kathy asked, her eyes narrowing. She leaned in slightly, a serious expression on her face.

"Oh, I don't know." Akari felt a slight blush creep up her face. "Everyone here seems so well matched already, you know? I'm just kind of the odd duck."

"What do you mean?" Kathy asked.

"Oh please! There's Candace and Julius, Renee and Toby, Phoebe and Calvin… You and Owen."

"There's nothing between us!" Kathy insisted. When Akari only continued to smirk, she changed tactics. "So you're just going to wait around for some new guy to move here?" she asked, rather accusingly.

"I don't know." Akari said wearily. She couldn't even really think about that until the Harvest Goddess was revived anyway, "Oh, Kathy, do you happen to know if there's a Wizard that lives in Harmonica Town?"

"Not that I know of," Kathy laughed, "All we have here is some weird fortune teller. He lives in that place above the clinic."

"I see." Akari said, looking at her feet. Maybe that was who Finn mentioned, although it certainly seemed that Finn was exaggerating his power. In any case, Akari decided to give him a visit later that day.


	2. A First Encounter

**AN: I know that not all of the dialogues are completely taken from the game. I edited some lines out, added some in… Just trying to keep things moving along. Plus, I had to adjust for Akari actually carrying out a conversation in this story as opposed to just nodding and bowing.**

Kathy took her leave shortly after, having ranted to her heart's content. Akari opted to change out of her dirt-coated work clothes and into a frilled black and white dress that she had purchased from Shelly at the clothing store. It was not exactly a practical outfit, but at least she would not have to go into town looking unclean. After a moment's consideration, she decided to take her horse out for a ride.

"C'mere Diablo." She said, presenting an offering of an apple to entice the stubborn animal from its stall. Diablo sniffed it before taking a large bite. When he had finished, Akari saddled him and lead him out of the barn. Automatically, she swung her body onto the horse, steering him forward. Once she got him out of the barn, he was remarkably well-behaved. By this time, she had taken him into town enough where steering him was almost unnecessary.

She crossed the bridge into Harmonica Town, dismounting and leaving Diablo tethered near Town Hall. She smiled, remembering the first time Hamilton had left his post and encountered the equally surprised horse. He had jumped nearly a foot in the air, and then took a tumble back through the still-open door. Despite this, he had still given her permission to continue to ride the horse to Harmonica Town. She had a sneaking suspicion that he might have even become used to the horse's presence of late.

The building that Kathy had described was easy enough to find. A white stone building with pale blue doors, it was adorned by a hanging pentacle. Akari looked around several times to make sure that nobody would see her entering the strange house. Unsure of how to even go about entering a wizard's home, she shrugged and knocked firmly on the door. The response was a very quiet, very muffled reply of "Yes? Please… come in." Akari straightened her posture, cracking her back, and carefully turned the doorknob.

The open door revealed a rather impressively tidy home, the many books it contained sorted on various shelves. Even the desk was well-organized. Akari's eyes travelled past the shelves and up a small staircase, where sat the largest telescope she had ever seen. Peering into it was a man unlike any Akari had ever encountered. He had mocha colored skin, a stark contrast to his gray hair, pulled into a long braid on the left side of his face. Rather than making him look old, his odd hair color gave him a mystifying air. In fact, she thought that he looked to be near her own age. He appeared to be wearing a dark blue cloak atop a dark turtleneck and white pants. He was handsome, Akari thought, but more than that, he was striking. This man, she thought, must be the Wizard.

"Who's there…?" he asked, not looking up from his telescope.

"Uh," Akari struggled with how to explain her situation without sounding like a madwoman. The fact that he was so good-looking was also doing her no favors.

"I'm busy at the moment… I… don't want to be bothered..." He said, still not looking at her. Akari blinked, somewhat offended. His voice had very little emotion in it, but he sounded more nervous than spiteful. Akari cleared her throat and made another attempt.

"Um, do you know the Witch?" she asked firmly.

"I do indeed…" He stopped and left it at that. Akari stood in silence awkwardly for a moment before trying once again to get information from him.

"She wasn't at her house." Akari explained. For the first time since she had entered his house, he turned to face her. He walked away from the telescope and down to where she stood, his every move somehow inhumanly graceful. She saw for the first time that he had mismatched eyes: one green, one gold. He also had a white tattoo beneath his right eye.

"Was there… a frog…?" he asked, his voice remaining at a level monotone.

"Yes." Said Akari quickly, glad that they were finally making progress, "There was a pink frog."

"That's the witch…" The Wizard replied simply.

"Excuse me?" Akari asked, her eyebrows raised.

"She tried using a spell to revive the Goddess Tree…"

"Oh! And THAT happened to her? Just what kind of spell was she using?" Akari asked, feeling, not for the first time, that the Harvest Goddess was asking an awful lot of her. The Wizard gave her no response, so she continued, "Alright, so she's a frog now; what do I need to do to get her back to being a human?"

"You want to change her back…?" he asked, a mild tone of surprise invading his voice. He gently shook his head, "I cannot do it."

"What? Why not?" Akari asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"It would take a special… potion…"

"Well, what would you need? I'll get the ingredients for you if you don't have them." Akari told him. Silently, the Wizard scribbled down a short list in long, loopy handwriting. Akari picked it up, frowning slightly.

_Hibiscus  
>Good Cornmeal<br>Perfect Butter_

"Seriously? All right, I'll bring these to you when I have them."


	3. He's Exotic

It had been nearly a week since Akari had met with the Wizard. She had honestly been so busy, that there would have been little time for her to think about much outside of ringing the blue bell. She had eventually accomplished this task after some help from Paolo and an extremely convoluted process involving wind, fish and a duck egg. The whole process was completely bizarre, really. But now that things had once again quieted down, Akari was left with ample unoccupied time while she attempted to collect ingredients for the Wizard's potion. The hibiscus had been easy enough once the boats had started up again, and the perfect butter was also simple. The good cornmeal, on the other hand, was proving difficult. It was winter, and it had been quite a while since Akari had any good corn. She kept decent vegetables, but only for cooking purposes. It would be extremely inconvenient if she would have to wait until summer to get corn.

She was in the barn when she heard a delicate female voice call her name. Giving Daisy the cow one last pet, Akari exited the barn to find a young woman waiting for her. She had long, dark brown hair, and a mature, motherly face. She was dressed conservatively, a long blouse and dark skirt. Her footwear was practical for working in the fields.

"Oh, hello Anissa. What's up?" Akari did not speak with her that often, so her presence was somewhat unexpected.

"I've heard how well you've been doing lately. I have a favor to ask of you." Anissa told her, fidgeting slightly.

"Go on." Akari said, her interest piqued.

"I'm sure that there are times where you overwork yourself. Recently, I've began to experiment in medicine making. It would really help me out if I could have someone sample this new herb medicine that I came up with. I heard from Jin that you've been in the clinic a few times from overwork, so I thought that you might be able to use it. No offense." She added quickly.

"Yeah, I was pretty careless at first," Akari laughed, "But sure. I don't care for medicine much, but I suppose it couldn't hurt."

"Oh thank you!" Anissa said, bowing her head slightly. "I'll bring some to you tomorrow morning." She turned to leave.

"Oh wait." Akari said, seized by a sudden idea, "You wouldn't happen to have any good corn, would you? I only need one."

Anissa looked slightly surprised, but smiled. "Of course I do, I live on a produce farm after all. I'll bring you one with the medicine tomorrow."

"I appreciate it." Akari said, bowing slightly in return.

Akari watched her walk away for a moment before returning to the animals. When she had at last milked Daisy and shipped the product, she wandered around outside for a while before realizing that she had never told Kathy about her encounter with the Wizard. Missing out on such a juicy piece of gossip was sure to irk her. She decided to pay the bar a visit. Akari walked into town, and was greeted by a burly hulk of a man upon entering the bar. He smiled from beneath an impressive beard.

"Hello Akari! How are you today? Should I get you the usual?" he said in a booming voice.

"Good afternoon Hayden. I'll order something later; right now I'm just looking for Kathy."

"Ah, she's in back. Go on ahead, I'll still be here when you're done." He told her, guffawing heartily.

"Thanks," she said, knocking on the door that lead to the bedrooms behind the bar.

"Who is it?" called Kathy's voice from behind the door.

"Who do you think? Are you clothed?"

"Oh! Come in, Akari." Akari opened the door and found Kathy sitting on her bed.

"Hey there."

"Hey, what brings you here?"

"Well, I went and saw the Wiz, er, Fortune Teller." Akari began awkwardly.

"Oh reeeeeeally?" Kathy said, leaning forward, a sly smile crossing her lips. "I've never been to see him. What's he like?"

"He's… Interesting. He doesn't talk much, and he seems to choose each of his words carefully. But he seems nice enough."

"Yeah, but is he hot?" Kathy asked. Akari rolled her eyes, a small smile crossing her lips. Always straight to the point.

"He's… Striking. And yes, very handsome. Dark skin and light hair, with two different colored eyes." Akari said, her cheeks becoming warm.

"Ah ha!" Kathy said, grinning broadly, "You _like_ him don't you?"

"Kathy, I don't know him. And he certainly seems to keep to himself. Jeez, I just said that he was handsome, I didn't say that I wanted to boink him."

"'Boink' him?" Kathy laughed, "Oh my, that's priceless. I'll have to remember that one. But seriously, lighten up."

"Sorry." Akari scratched the back of her head.

"Maybe I should go for an exotic guy like that. Owen's just being useless lately." Kathy said wryly.

"I think that you're too hard on him, Kathy. I can't imagine that you're easy to court."

"I'm a challenge, not a tease." She said, closing her eyes and sticking her nose up in the air. "Unlike that Selena girl who moved here."

"Are you guys fighting already?" Akari asked, rolling her eyes.

"She has an attitude." Said Kathy defensively. Akari resisted the urge to say 'so do you,' knowing that it would only make the situation worse. Owen, confident as he may be, really had his work cut out for him.


	4. A Recipe, Completed

Dutiful as always, Anissa made good on her promise of experimental herb medicine and a piece of good corn the next morning. Akari hoisted a smile onto her face, mentally preparing herself for the medicine. She tipped the cup back, aware that Anissa was observing her. As she had expected, it was ungodly bitter, so much so that it made choking down the entirety of the medicine a metaphorical battle with her gag reflex, which had always been annoyingly strong. She was rather surprised, however, that the medicine was rather effective. Hours of work seemed to have been erased, replaced with a vigor that she rarely achieved.

"Well, I have to say that I am impressed, Anissa." Akari said, looking just as surprised as Anissa. "It certainly perked me up. I wonder though, if you could add some kind of ingredient that would dull the flavor? I doubt that you're going to get any children to take this stuff."

"Yes, that has been somewhat of a problem. Anissa said, putting her hand on her cheek and tilting her head slightly. "My brother refuses to test my potions anymore."

"I dunno. It works though, and very well. I'm also pretty over-sensitive, so my opinion might not be the best to go by."

"Well, over-sensitive people get sick too, I'll have to work on it." Anissa laughed, standing up. "Really, thanks for helping. I'll see you around, I hope."

"Definitely. Good luck with your medicine."

Not wanting to appear rude, Akari gave Anissa a head start before dashing to the windmill and converting the corn into cornmeal. She smiled triumphantly, wiping her brow as she confirmed that all of the items that the Wizard needed were indeed in her backpack. Not wanting to delay any further, she whistled loudly. As he always did, Diablo came at a gallop, somehow drawn to the whistling noise. Akari mounted him and swiftly headed toward Harmonica Town. Her haste was so great that she nearly trampled Hamilton, who was unfortunate enough to wander into Diablo's path.

"Sorry about that." Akari told him, tethering her horse in his usual place. "I was in a hurry."

"No harm done." Hamilton said, although he was clearly shaken. "Carry on."

Akari apologized once more before heading off to the Wizard's house. She could not help glancing in Hamilton's direction to make sure that he could not see where she was going, although upon realizing what she was doing, she felt utterly silly. Once again, she knocked on the door and was greeted by the slow, quiet voice.

"Who is it…?"

"It's me, I have your ingredients." Akari called, opening the door. The Wizard stood serenely in the middle of the room, examining a nearby bookshelf. Akari walked over to him, handing him the Hibiscus, Perfect Butter, and Good Cornmeal. How he could use these to make any kind of potion was beyond her, but she decided not to question it for the moment.

"Excellent. Now I can make the potion. Hold on just a moment." He crossed the room, taking out a mortar and pestle, grinding the ingredients together before sprinkling some glittering substance over the mixture. Appearing to be satisfied, he bottled the potion, pocketing it, and returned to Akari. "Okay. Let's go…"

They exited his house, and Akari was embarrassed to realize that most of the townsfolk were already out and about. The Wizard, completely tranquil, continued onward despite the stares and questioning looks that the pair of them were receiving. Akari was sure that news of her going off into the forest with the "Fortune Teller" would reach the Garmon mine region by noon, and the Flute Fields residents sooner. She held her head high, although dull pink patches were beginning to form on her cheeks.

The Wizard said nothing as they walked, even when they reached Fugue forest. Akari got the impression that the Wizard frequented the place, as navigating the twisting paths and ever-changing greenery of the forest seemed second nature to him. They reached the Witch's house in record time, finding the pink frog right where she had left it.

"Yes, this is her…" the Wizard confirmed after inspecting the frog for a brief moment. "This should only take a moment."

He held his arms out, and a bright light began to emanate from his body. The light became a sphere, which expanded for a moment before dissipating. The frog, in turn, became enveloped in light. Akari closed her eyes when it became too bright, finding a young woman when she re-opened them.

She had a cross face, and wore dark colors. Her long silver hair was complimented by amber eyes and pale skin. She wore an odd combination of clothing; a corset with pantaloons and long socks. Her scowl quickly transformed into a wide grin.

"Yay! I'm finally back to normal!" she squealed as she literally jumped for joy. Her expression soured again only moments later, as she marched over to the Wizard, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"What the heck took you so long?" She demanded, stomping her foot on the ground. Akari was instantly seized by an awkward "third wheel" feeling, but chose to say nothing for fear of making matters worse. "I was stuck as a frog for _forever_! I had to eat flies! And I was all slimy! It was _awful_!"

The Wizard, who had remained completely unfazed throughout the telling-off, merely looked at her and said "Well, I told you not to use that spell…"

"So you left me as a frog to teach me a lesson?" The Witch accused, looking furious, "That's just _mean_."

"_Mean?"_ Akari thought, _What, is this chick twelve?_

"Well, did it work?" The Wizard asked, still unperturbed. The Witch did not seem to be able to form coherent sentences due to anger.

Finally, she managed to spout "I hate you! Get out!" The Wizard, said nothing, but did as she had told him. Akari, completely thrown for a loop, stood awkwardly for a moment before running after him.

After a brief silence, the Wizard told her that it appeared that his work was done and bid her farewell. He stopped after a few steps and turned to look at her once again.

"I… don't think that I ever got… your name. If you don't mind."

"Oh, my name is Akari."

"That is… a good name." he told her, a fleeting smile crossing his lips as he turned around and began to make his way out of the forest. Akari watched his progress for a moment, her heartbeat erratic, before remembering why she was there in the first place.

"Okay…" she said to herself, hitting her fist into her open palm, "I'd better go ask her about the green bell. Harvest Goddess, I sincerely hope you're grateful. This witch has a worse attitude than Kathy when she's on the rag…"


	5. Suspicious Activity

With the Wizard absent, it was remarkably easy for Akari to convince the Witch to help her. After being presented with a green ball of yarn and a suspicious-looking green plant, the Witch was able to produce the green bell from her own possessions. The bell had subsequently been rung, and Akari had even been complimented by Gil, the mayor's ever-skeptical son.

Akari's discovery of the final bell was met with some amount of uneasiness on her part. She had determined that she would need to tell a wishing shrine about the hopes of the citizens of Castanet.

"Yeah, that's a question to ask. 'Oh hey everybody, I know that we only just met, but I was wondering what would bring you true happiness? Kay, thanks.'" Akari said to herself, lamely poking at her mashed potatoes. "Who do I even know well enough to ask that? Kathy, maybe Hayden. Candace…" she trailed off, resting her cheek on her hands. Kitka rubbed against her leg, purring softly. Abandoning her food, Akari picked up the cat, looking into its large, yellow eyes. "I suppose this means that I'll have to start being more social now, huh?"

Akari decided to pay Kathy a visit in the hope that she would be able to determine how exactly to go about asking for a person's wish. As she entered Harmonica Town, Akari glanced absentmindedly at the Wizard's house. Seized by the sudden desire to deviate from her plans, Akari decided to throw caution to the wind and pay him a visit.

Upon entering his house, she found him seated comfortably upon a chair to the left of the door, immersed in a book. She was not able to see the title, but a glance over his shoulder showed a complex star map, with notes and arrows hand-written on the pages.

"Looks complicated." Akari said out loud, impressed. The Wizard simply nodded, closing the book and giving her a somewhat quizzical look.

"Is… There a problem? Do you need my help again…?" he asked, looking her up and down.

"No, no." Akari said, shaking her head vigorously, "I just wanted to, um, say hello. And thank you again for your help."

"Oh. You are welcome…" he said, looking somewhat confused.

"So, uh, it seems that you really are a wizard, huh?" Akari began, realizing how rude she must seem, she added "Not that I didn't believe you, I had just heard rumors."

"Me? I'm a wizard... Not that the people here believe it... They think I'm a fortune teller... But that's fine by me..." He said uncaringly.

"I suppose you'd draw less attention to yourself that way." Akari shrugged.

"I think so… I usually don't like talking… much." The two of them stood in silence for a moment, before Akari realized that she had nothing more to bring up.

"Uh, if you'll excuse me…" she said, walking toward the door quickly.

"Wait…" The Wizard said suddenly. "I have something… to ask."

"Oh? What is it?" Akari asked, shuffling her feet. The Wizard let out a small sigh before continuing.

"…Do you know my crystal ball? A round ball… About this size." He held out his hands, signifying an object about the size of a softball. He sighed again, visibly distressed despite the calm in his voice. "It's very important…"

Akari wracked her brain for any instance where she might have seen such a thing, but nothing surfaced. Disappointed because helping him with something this important was sure to earn her some brownie points, Akari shook her head.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly.

"Oh. I don't know where it is…" he whispered, a frown creasing his lips as he scratched the back of his head, "I must have dropped it…"

"Well, I'll keep an eye out for it." Akari promised, unsure of what else she could really offer. The Wizard, looking distraught, went back to his book. Somewhat downhearted, Akari left his home. She checked her watch; it would be several hours before the bar was open.

_Maybe they would have some kind of pick-me-up available at the Inn,_ she thought vaguely. She slumped her way over there, half-dreading stories of Maya's incompetence at cooking. She was greeted by Colleen, who had a rather curious expression on her face. In place of her usual cheery smile and bright eyes, she sported a small frown and arched eyebrows.

"Oh, Akari." She said upon noticing her, she moved closer, a pensive look on her face, "Have you noticed anything… weird lately?"

"Uh, not really, no." Akari said, scratching the back of her head and biting her lip.

"Oh. Really? Well, my husband has been acting very strange. I'm starting to worry." she told her, continuing to frown. "Akari, can you talk to him?"

"Uh… Sure, I guess."

_So much for a Pick-Me-Up…_ Akari thought, a twinge of annoyance flowing through her.

"Jake! Will you come out here please?" Colleen asked, retreating to the back room upon his arrival.

"Oh, Akari, what brings you here?"

"Uh, well, I think Colleen is worried about you. She says that you've been acting off lately. Is everything okay?"

"My wife says I've been acting strange? Hm…" He stroked his chin, "But I've just tried to give her everything she wants as soon as she thinks of it."

"Excuse me?" Akari asked, praying to the Harvest Goddess that she had not just entered into a conversation that she would regret hearing. Jake, oblivious to her discomfort, simply laughed.

"It's easy now that I can read her mind!"

"Read her mind…? How, exactly?" Akari asked, resisting the urge to back away from him.

"Oh, it's just a skill that I… Picked up somewhere. It's nothing that you should be concerned with." Akari merely stared at him, unsure of what to say. "Anyway," Jake continued, "I'm closing at 22:00 today, so don't come here after then." He strode away, an uncharacteristic bounce in his step.

"…Ooooookay then. That was probably the most suspicious thing I've ever seen in my life." With a performance like that, Akari decided that the only logical course of action was to shake things up a bit. Jake had told her not to come by after 22:00, so that was exactly what she was going to do.

_Harvest Goddess, please don't let me walk in on anything that will scar me._


	6. The Crystal Ball Saga

Akari returned to the inn late at night, somewhat nervous.

_Am I technically breaking in? Maybe I should just bail. Well, let me at least see if the door is open_… She reached out her hand and found that the door was most definitely unlatched. _Okay, well, I'm here. Let's just do this before I lose my nerve._

The inn appeared to be deserted, such a complete contrast to what she the bustle that she normally encountered, that this was downright eerie. A strange voice was coming from the room behind the restaurant. Cautiously, she turned the doorknob, finding Jake on the other side. He certainly seemed off, she thought. There was an odd energy around him, and he appeared to be holding something.

"Yes, I can see everyone. I can see everyone's mind." Jake said, smiling wickedly. Akari was able to recognize the Wizard's crystal ball in his hands.

_I should have known._ Akari thought, her eyes widening. Jake turned around, looking her directly in the eye. She froze, completely lost for what to do.

"Akari! What are you doing here?"

"I, uh… I'm here for to bring the crystal ball back to its owner. So if you could, uh, maybe hand it over?"

"Give this to you? No way! I found it! It's mine!" his voice became more hysterical with each word. Akari actually backed away a few paces. Suddenly, the door opened, and a calm voice met her ears.

"I knew I felt my crystal ball close by…" Akari threw a startled look in the voice's direction. Standing in the doorway, a serious expression on his face, was the Wizard.

"Wizard!" Jake's voice was both angry and nervous. The Wizard crossed the room, stopping somewhat between Akari and Jake. "You're here to steal this from me! I can see your thoughts! I won't give this back, even if it is yours! It's… my precious." **(AN: I kid you not, this line was in the actual game).**

The Wizard's expression softened, and he looked at Jake pityingly. "Fine… If you really think that you're the one who deserves it most." The odd energy around Jake seemed to lift at the Wizard's words.

"Oh no! Wizard… I can… Feel your thoughts…" he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I can feel… How important this crystal ball is to you." Jake closed his eyes, holding the crystal ball out for the Wizard, "You… You're its true owner." The Wizard gently took the object from Jake's hands, tucking it safely away into his cloak.

"I'm so sorry. That thing took a strange hold on me." Jake said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But when I read your mind, I could see that you could handle its power."

"It was your efforts that guided me to the crystal ball, Akari." The Wizard said, turning to her with an expression of deep emotion on his face. "If you come to my house, I'll repay you." He promised, giving Akari a small grin before taking his leave. Akari felt the now-familiar blush creep up her cheeks. After bidding Jake a good night, she followed him, although there was no sign of the Wizard by the time she had left the inn.

She opened the door to the Wizard's house, aware of the late hour. She found him at the table in the middle of his house, the crystal ball comfortably resting on a pillow. When he saw her, he gestured to the ball, the smile returning to his face. He then crossed the room to meet her.

"Thanks for coming… And…For helping me." he indicated the crystal ball before continuing, "This crystal ball was handed down to me by my master. So… I'm glad you found it." He bowed slightly, "And to thank you… I'd like to use the power of this crystal ball for you. I can look into the heart of the person that you're interested in."

"Oh, that is generous." Akari said, suppressing a laugh. Despite all of that, it appeared that the crystal ball would do her little good. Regardless, she was glad that she was able to aid him. Perhaps this would offer some kind of door in their relationship, she thought, smiling to herself.

* * *

><p>"You did WHAT?" Kathy barked, nearly dropping the cup she was holding.<p>

"Hush, will you?" Akari scolded, looking around. In retrospect, the bar was most likely not the best place to tell Kathy of her exploits.

"I mean, I heard a rumor that you went off into the forest with him, but damn girl, sounds like you two are about ready to get hitched."

"Oh shut up." Akari said, a furious blush creeping up her face. "He helped me out, and I just returned the favor."

"You planning on 'returning the favor' again soon?" Kathy asked slyly. Akari just shook her head, exasperated. "But seriously? A crystal ball that can see into other people's hearts? That'd be useful."

"Not to me, it's not like I'm going to use it. Maybe he'll give you a reading."

"I resent the implications." Kathy informed her. "Besides, if he can read your mind, he already knows that you'd jump him if given half a chance."

"Now _I_ resent the implications… But I honestly don't think that he just sits around, reading people's minds. He doesn't strike me as being capable of something so invasive."

"Ah, so he's a gentleman." Kathy said, nodding her approval. "Very nice."

"Glad to know that he has your approval." Akari said, rolling her eyes and grinning as she sipped her cocktail. "So how's Selena working out?"

"You know, at first I was perfectly ready to hate her, but she's good at what she does, and she seems to be warming up to the place. I'm surprised. Pleasantly surprised."

"Well that's good, her parents will be glad to know that." Akari said, remembering their concern for their daughter.

"A bit high maintenance, but overall, she's pleasant." Kathy shrugged. "She got in a fight with Luna the other day though. Didn't realize that Luna was over eighteen. So of course, the battle of insults commenced. I eventually had to step in, but they seemed to have resolved the problem by the end."

"That's good. Goddess knows, we see enough bickering in this town without anything new emerging." Akari finished her drink, tossing Kathy a bit extra coin for tip. "Well, I'm gonna head on home for now. Have a good night."

"Good night. I might check up on you tomorrow morning, just to, you know, make sure that you haven't had some kind of 'slumber party.'"

"You are terrible." Akari said, waving her hand dismissively as she closed the door behind her on the way out.


	7. A Starry Night

Her courage inflated as of late, Akari had gone to see the Wizard several times, talking with him about many things despite his reluctance to open up to her.

"You are... funny... You come here often... But that's fine... I like talking to you..." he told her.

"What can I say?" Akari blushed, scratching the back of her head, "I enjoy your company."

"I...Enjoy your company as well." He said, his cheeks a little pink.

"So, what exactly do you like to do?"

"I enjoy stargazing... I'm busy at night. I'm tired in the morning but I don't mind... I can't see stars during the day." The Wizard told her, glancing at the enormous telescope.

"You know..." Akari began, trailing off as her courage deflated.

"Yes?"

"Well, the Starry Night Festival is tomorrow, and since you like stargazing, I was wondering if you'd like to… Well, uh…" She struggled, but the Wizard seemed to not understand her intent. A deep breath later, she attempted once again, "Would you like to go with me to the Starry Night Festival?"

A furious blush crept up the Wizard's face. "Stargazing with another person…? That is interesting… I have never done that before. But I suppose… That I would enjoy that. I will meet you at 20:00 tomorrow…"

Heart bouncing around her chest, Akari took her leave, sprinting to the clothing store to seek out Candace. She found her sitting in her usual place: at the sewing machine. Candace gave her a shaky half smile.

"Oh, Akari, how are you doing?"

"I'm wonderful Candace, thank you for asking." Akari smiled. "Candance," she lowered her voice conspiratorially, "I have a DATE for tomorrow."

Candace clapped her hands to her mouth, smiling cutely. "That IS wonderful. With whom?"

"The Wizard."

"What? That's incredible, I've never even seen him leave his house!"

"I know! It'll be interesting, won't it?" Akari giggled.

"Indeed. Congratulations. Perhaps you should go tell Kathy? I know that you two are close."

"Yeah, you're right. Will I see you at the festival tomorrow?"

"Most likely. I am meeting J-Julius there as well."

"Good for you." Akari smiled, waving goodbye and exiting the store. She found Kathy chatting with Selena outside of the bar, smiling widely.

"Anyway, that's what I use." Selena was saying, "It works for me, but everyone's skin is different."

"Thanks, I'll keep your recommendations in mind next time I'm shopping. Oh, hey Akari, what's put you in such a good mood?"

"Hey girls." Akari smiled. She had come to very much like Selena, and despite Kathy's earlier skepticism, so had she. "Guess what?"

"You got laid?" Kathy suggested.

"You learned the tango?" Selena asked, smiling.

"No!" Akari said, putting on an offended face even while laughing, "I have a date for tomorrow."

"What? Oh, that's great Akari!" Selena told her, smiling prettily.

"Wow, congrats." Kathy said, grinning slyly. "So you finally warmed up to each other, eh?"

"I suppose. Say, are you girls going to be there tomorrow?"

"I don't see the point." Selena said, somewhat exasperated, "I don't have a date, and it's friggin' cold here in the winter, especially at night."

"I might be there, circumstances depending on, er, certain factors."

"You mean whether or not he asks you?" Akari said dryly.

"More or less. I might come just to see you out with your new beau though."

"Creeper."

"You chose to tell me."

"Anyway, we should get you dolled up, shouldn't we?" Selena said, nodding her head. Akari had the feeling that Selena's mind was already made up.

"Uh, within reason." Akari said, holding up her hands in front of her.

"Don't worry, I won't make you look like a clown." Selena laughed. "Just meet me here before nightfall tomorrow, and we'll get your spruced up."

"Thanks. I've gotten out of the habit. When you work on a farm all day, looking decent isn't that important."

Akari went to bed excited that night, the first night in a very long time. Her dreams, usually bizarre and meaningless, were wild and passionate. She awoke the next morning, flying through her chores and arriving at the bar far earlier than Selena had anticipated. Shrugging as she let Akari inside, Selena gave her a look up and down before saying anything.

"Are you planning on wearing that?" she aksed, pointing at the black and white dress that Akari wore.

"I was planning on it. I think that he likes neutral colors."

"Alright, so let's plan around this then." Selena dug through her vanity drawers, producing a plethora of cosmetics. After some testing, a few mishaps, and much laughter, the two of them had found a balance that they both agreed on.

"Wow, this looks great, Selena. Thanks a lot. Do I owe you anything?" she asked, digging through her pockets.

"Nah, just go have fun tonight. You work hard, you deserve it." Selena beamed.

"I should probably head out, the festival's going to start fairly soon. I'll let you know how it goes."

Akari began the long walk to Flute Fields, her trepidation mounting. He would show up, wouldn't he? He didn't seem like the kind to go back on his word. But what if he wasn't thinking about this as a date? The possibility hit Akari hard, and she felt utterly embarrassed. Had she been too presumptuous? By the time that she had reached the fields, she had worked herself into quite the state of anxiety.

"Akari! It's good to see you." Hamilton said, smiling, his arms spread wide.

"Hello." She said, looking around. She saw Mira, as well as some of the other parents. A little ways away, she saw Kathy standing with a smiling Owen. She decided to pay them her regards.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Oh, well hi there." Owen said, smiling politely at her. "It's good to see you."

"You're looking pretty. Where's your man?" Kathy asked, scouting out the area behind Akari.

"Uh, he's not here yet. He told me he'd be here soon though."

"I'm sure he's just punctual." Kathy said, waving her hand lightheartedly.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. Well, I'll come find you guys again later."

"Sure thing."

Akari waited near the gate, unsure of what else to do. She turned to look at the sky, in awe of the brilliant display that the night sky had put up.

"Did you start… Without me?" came a voice from behind her.

"Oh! No, no. Certainly not."

The Wizard smiled, offering his hand to her. Hesitantly, Akari took it. "Let's go."

They sat in the field, despite the earlier hand-holding, both seemed overly cautious to not touch the other.

"It's cold outside." The Wizard observed.

"Yeah, it is." Akari shivered. Her clothing choice suddenly seemed less than smart.

"Would you… Like my coat?" The Wizard asked, shrugging the cloak off of his shoulders and draping it over her.

"Oh, thank you." Akari blushed.

"Stargazing is best in the winter…" the Wizard said, looking into the sky, "I would explain why, but it's not important…"

Akari laughed, snuggling into the cloak. It smelled fresh, like soil and rain.

"Viewing the stars with the naked eye is different than viewing them with a telescope." A small flush blazed upon his cheeks. "…Perhaps it's because you're here."

Akari also flushed, looking away, embarrassed.

"Oh!" She looked up into the sky to see a shooting star. Akari closed her eyes momentarily, wishing for romance in the coming year. The night seemed to last only moments, and before Akari knew it, it was time to leave. She stood up, handing the Wizard's cloak back to him. He smiled, swinging it back over his shoulders.

"I had fun today. I always enjoy watching the stars… Let's come again next year…"

"I'd like that." Akari said, smiling sweetly at him.


	8. Akari's Wish

Akari stretched her limbs, disentangling herself from the sheets before springing out of bed. She received a shock after a casual glance at her watch. It was 6 AM, as it always was when she awoke.

_Unbelievable,_ she thought, shaking her head, _I went to bed way later than normal last night. I really have lost the ability to sleep in_. After she had dressed herself and prepared breakfast, she tended to the crops and animals, as she always did. She returned to the house to check the weather forecast. Upon sitting down in one of her almost-new chairs, she heard a knock at the door. She opened it to find Kathy and Luna, bags under both of their eyes.

"Come in, what are you two doing here?" Akari asked, gesturing for them to sit at the table.

"We're just here to ask how your night went." Luna said, her voice considerably more scratchy than it normally was. "I hardly saw you at all during the festival."

"That's because your face was glued to Gill's the entire time." Kathy said, a definite note of sarcasm in her voice.

"Oh please, like you're one to talk." Luna said, shrugging her shoulders.

"I saw you two, you seemed like you were having a good time." Kathy said slyly. "But I'm curious about something."

"What?" Akari asked with some amount of unease.

"You two didn't kiss. Not even at the end of the night when you were saying your goodbyes. What's up with that?"

"Well, uh," Akari felt the familiar blush return to her face, "I mean, this was our first date. He seems very traditional. I don't want to ruin it by moving too fast."

"So, you're trusting him to make the first move?" Luna asked, "Make sure that you don't wait too long, what if he's waiting for _you_ to make the first move? You'll be in limbo forever."

"Oh jeez, I didn't even think of that. You don't think that I gave him mixed signals, do you?"

"I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think-" Kathy's reply was interrupted by a new knock, making all of them snap their heads toward the door.

"Who could that be?" Akari wondered aloud, standing up and walking to the door.

The culprit was revealed to be the Wizard himself. Akari quickly shut the door behind her to avoid prying eyes. The Wizard initially said nothing, instead holding out a bottle with an odd, greenish liquid contained within it.

"Good morning!" he said, smiling through a slight blush, "…I tried making this. Er, I mean, I made it. Do you want it? It's vegetable juice… I just thought… That maybe you could use it."

"Oh, yes. Thank you very much." Akari said, taking the bottle from him.

"It's good for you… You need to be sure to take care of your health." He said, clutching one of his lapels nervously. "Anyway, I shall see you… Later, perhaps. Have fun with Kathy and Luna." He smiled slightly, and with that, he went on his way.

Akari returned to the house, finding Kathy and Luna waiting eagerly for her.

"So? What did he bring you?" Luna asked nosily.

"Vegetable juice." Akari said, putting it in the fridge.

"That's not overly romantic." Kathy said.

"But it is practical. Akari is a farmer after all." Luna reminded her, "He cares about her health, that's a good thing."

"I suppose that makes sense." Kathy said, shrugging slightly.

"Yeah." Akari said, nodding slightly, "Say, do you mind if I ask you two a question?"

"Shoot." Kathy said, readjusting herself in the chair as to look more alert.

"Well, it's kind of personal, but, what do you wish for? Like, if you could have anything right now, what would it be?" The two of them blinked for a silent moment.

"Damn, way to pull out the big guns. But, if I had to say, I'd probably go with a worthy racing opponent." Kathy said, cupping her chin in the dip between her thumb and pointer finger.

"Personally, I'd like to be a successful businesswoman. And be rich." Luna said, grinning. "What about you, Akari?"

"Oh, I've never really thought about it…" Akari said, realizing this for the first time.

"What? So you asked us without any return answer? What nerve." Kathy said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Oh, Kathy, look at the time, we'd better get going." Luna said, pulling them swiftly out of the conversation. "Sorry to cut this short, Akari."

"No no, by all means. I'll see you both later."

After saying their goodbyes, Akari returned to the Wishing Shrine and repeated the two desires to a painting of the Harvest Goddess. The picture seemed to grow slightly more vibrant when she had finished. She gave her regards to Perry on the way out. She stood for several minutes on one of the balconies on the church grounds. The Wizard's house certainly did stand out. She wondered vaguely if anyone aside from her really believed that he had any kind of legitimate magical powers. Her reluctance to answer own question earlier disturbed her slightly. What did she want?

"I want… Many friends, good health, a long life, a passionate romance…" she said under her breath, trailing off into silence. "So, I want a good life? That's original." She sighed, stepping off of the balcony and made a trek down to the Wizard's house. She found him in his usual place: At the desk, reading.

"Thank you very much for the vegetable juice." She said, bowing slightly.

"It was… No trouble… Really." He told her, scratching the back of his head.

"How did you know that I was with Kathy and Luna?" Akari asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Ah… They are very… Boisterous. I could hear them from outside…"

"I can imagine." Akari laughed, "Say, um, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"I do not mind…"

"If you could have anything right now, what would it be?"

The question did not seem to faze him nearly so much as it had Luna and Kathy. His reply was quick and monotone.

"I'd like a telescope that lets me peer into the heart of the universe itself." He paused for a moment, "What would you ask for, Akari?"

"Well, I don't know," she began, still considering her answer, "I think long-term I guess. I'd like many lasting friendships, a more developed sense of personal satisfaction, maybe a lasting romance."

"That is a good wish." The Wizard said, smiling, "I hope that it comes true."


	9. What Are These Feelings?

Akari's face had such a prominent glow to it that she suspected that Candace would have felt more awkward not asking if something good had happened.

"As a matter of fact," Akari said, smiling triumphantly, "The Wizard has asked me out on another date."

"Oh? That is good news. What will you be doing?"

"Just viewing the sky and ocean. Nothing fancy." Akari blushed.

"I think that is good, it shows that neither of you are materialistic… You don't need to do anything fancy to have fun."

"Either that or we're both just really cheap."

"That one gets my vote." said Luna as she carried a box past the two of them, rolling her eyes despite a small grin.

"When is this date?"

"It's today at 16:00. I'm just killing time until then, Iguess."

"Oh, you're not having Selena do your makeup again?" Candace asked.

"Nah, it's all pretty short notice. I went home and showered, that's good enough for me."

"I see." Candace said, smiling vaguely. "I think that Julius wears a lot of makeup, and he puts a lot of effort into his appearance every single day. At first I thought it was strange… But now I've just accepted that that's who he is."

"Yeah. I don't think that the Wizard really focuses much on his appearance, his hair's usually all messy, and his clothes are usually wrinkled. But I suppose I'm not one to talk. I am a farmer, after all."

"I imagine that it would be easy to just completely stop caring, if I were in your position."

"Yeah, especially for someone as indifferent as I am. It's a real danger." Akari laughed.

"You two are unbelievable." Luna said as she walked past them once again. "If I missed a day of my beauty routine, well, I don't really know what I'd do." She ruffled her skirt a little before continuing on her way.

"Luna also spends a lot of time on her looks every morning." Candace said, her voice somewhat quieter now that she had been admonished.

"Well, she has her thing, and you have yours. You're sisters, not clones."

"I suppose." Candace shrugged.

"Ah, I suppose I'd better let you get back to work." Akari said after checking her watch. "It's close enough where I could probably just head to the church grounds anyway."

"Alright. Have fun." Candace waved, smiling. Akari wandered over to the church, easily twenty minutes early. After pacing for several minutes, she sat on one of the benches, constantly fidgeting due to nerves. What Kathy had said about the two of them never kissing surfaced in her mind, and she did her best to chase the invasive worries away. Would he be expecting a kiss today? Why was she so nervous about this? People kissed all the time. Kathy and Owen kissed, Luna and Gill kissed, hell, she'd seen Colleen and Jake kiss more times than she cared to remember. So why was this so complicated? She was interrupted from her musings by the Wizard's approach. He looked slightly concerned.

"... Did you wait long?"

"Oh! Not at all, don't worry about it." Akari said, her eyes wide, heart pounding. He offered his hand, which she took timidly. He lead her to the parapet, letting go when he seemed pleased with the view.

"I'm glad… I would hate to seem rude…"

"Not at all." Akari said.

"You can see stars here at night. Lots. ... Akari, do you like stars?"

"Stars? I love them!" Akari said truthfully. "I always feel more at ease at night. The stars and moon are calming."

"Yeah... Me too... They relax me. We're so similar." He said, going red in the face.

"We are, aren't we?" Akari said, more of a statement than a question.

"I'm curious… Why were you so quick to believe… That I really am a Wizard?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like I said, most of the people here… They think that I am just a fortune teller… They do not seem to really believe… in magic."

"Oh, well I guess I've seen enough weird stuff that the idea of a Wizard really doesn't surprise me." she said, thinking of the bells and harvest sprites.

"I see…" he smiled contentedly, "You know… I spend so little time… With people. I don't talk much so I've nearly forgotten how to speak… I thought at first… That my way of speaking might… Annoy you. But… It does not seem to bother you… I'm glad."

"No, it doesn't bother me at all." Akari assured him, "I mean, at first I didn't really understand why you spoke like that. But that's just how you are. I wouldn't change it."

"Really? I'm happy… To hear that." He paused, looking at his chest with a confused expression, "Hm, what are these… Feelings… Weird."

Akari blushed and looked away. "So… How does a Wizard end up in a place like Castanet, anyway?"

"Hm? That is a very long story… Perhaps I will tell you… Some day." He smiled, and Akari got the distinct impression that he was doing his very best to tease her. She gave him a playful push, laughing at the attempt.

"Fine, we'll save that story for another day." She conceded, leaning against the parapet. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky in both brilliant oranges and somber purples. "Oh, that's pretty."

"Yes… Nature is… Stunning." The wizard nodded his head, also leaning forward. The two of them watched the sun's progress silently until it was no longer visible.

"I should let you get home… Before it gets completely dark… It's safer." The Wizard told her, taking her hand once again and walking her to the entrance to Harmonica Town. "Thanks for coming. That was fun." A faint blush was shining good-naturedly upon his face.

"Yes, I had a great time! We should do this again soon."

"I agree. Have a safe trip home…" He held her hand up slightly, planting a small, conservative kiss upon the back of it. His blush deepened, and he bowed to her before heading back in the direction of his house.

Akari felt her face grow to a boiling temperature. A kiss was a kiss after all. _If I get this riled up over a kiss to the hand,_ she though, _I'm doomed if we ever share an actual "kiss" kiss…_


	10. Mishaps and Mistakes

The morning after her date with the Wizard, Akari was surprised to discover a letter in her mailbox.

_No one ever writes me mail, what could this be?_ She flipped it over, immediately recognizing the loopy handwriting on the envelope. She was careful in opening it, wanting to preserve both the letter and the envelope.

_Dearest Akari_

_I hope this letter finds you well. _

_I'd like to take a moment to thank you for doing me a favour by joining me gazing at stars. I know that you are a busy person._

_Thank you very much. I hope that we can have such an opportunity again._

_Thank you again._

_-Wizard_

She smiled, returning to the house to file it away in the bookshelf. _It might be nice to pull it out at some later day and look at it again,_ she mused. Akari paused for a moment, feeling like something was odd, but unable to place her finger on what exactly was different.

_What should I do today?_ She wondered vaguely_. I could go visit the town, I should at least go see the Wizard to confirm that I had fun on our date, but for some reason, I'm just not in the mood to deal with other people today._ It was almost New Year's; she'd be seeing everyone all in a group pretty soon anyway. So much had happened this month, it was rare that Akari sat back and reflected. Perhaps she would also go to see Kathy today. Suddenly, she realized what was off: Kathy had not come to see her. Perhaps she was sick today? Or maybe just busy. In any case, Akari did not want to deliberately seek anyone out today, not for long-term conversation. Perhaps she would also make her way over to Flute Fields to ask Renee and Anissa about their wishes, she was so close to being able to ring the purple bell…

In any case, she decided that she'd better get a move on if she wanted to get anything accomplished. She headed out to the Wizard's house, checking the road ahead for signs of chatty villagers. To her relief, she had left early enough that the afternoon buzz of the town had not yet begun. She found the Wizard sitting on one side of his crystal ball, and Anissa sitting on the other side, her eyes wider than usual, and her gaze searching.

"You and Jin are very compatible… He may seem cold, but he's really just… conservative… There's really not much more I can tell you…"

"No, no, thank you. I just wanted another opinion. I'm glad that I came here." Anissa said, standing up, her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Akari. "Akari! How long have you been there? Oh my, this is so embarrassing."

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop." Akari assured her, "I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."

"Please don't, especially not Jin. He'd think it's silly that I come here."

"My lips are sealed." Akari told her, watching as she shuffled out of the room, still looking as though she had been caught in some kind of shameful act.

"She comes by often…" The Wizard told her, "Many of your friends do… But only the women, for some reason…"

"I'm not that surprised." Akari said, thinking about how vastly different the men and women of the island were, "But at least you've got visitors now."

"I'm not good at dealing with people… I don't have many friends… But with you, it is different. My rhythm of life... Is erratic with you around... Very difficult..."

"Oh." Akari's heart sank, "I did not realize that I made things difficult for you."

"That's… Not what I meant by that…" The Wizard looked horrified, "It's just that… It has been a very, very… long time since I had regular contact with another person… Life is… Different for me now, but it is also… Better."

"Are you sure?" Akari asked, her spirit still dampened.

"Yes." The Wizard said.

"I'm glad, because I think that my life now is better too." Akari's heart lifted back into its usual place. The two of them smiled at each other for a moment before Akari remembered why she had come in the first place. "Oh, I wanted to tell you that I got your letter, and that I also had a great time yesterday."

"I'm glad." The Wizard smiled.

"Anyway, I'll see you again tomorrow, I should probably go."

"Very well, I shall see you… Tomorrow."

Akari left, feeling happy once again. Happy enough that the prospect of going to talk to Kathy was more appealing now, she doubted that Anissa would tell her about her wishes after their encounter this morning anyway. She'd give it a day or two, wait for Anissa to calm down, and then make an attempt. And she certainly did not want to go all the way to Flute Fields just to talk to Renee. So instead, Akari tread the familiar path to the Brass Bar. Hayden greeted her, looking a little less than his usual jovial self.

"Oh, Akari, hello. I suppose you're looking for Kathy?"

"Yeah, is something wrong?"

"I don't know. She's shut up in her room and won't come out. I thought we got past this stage when she was a teenager." He sighed, "You two are close, would you mind going in there to see what's wrong with her?"

"Of course." Akari said, concerned. Temperamental as Kathy may be, it was not like her to be so immature. She knocked on Kathy's door tentatively.

"Go away dad!" Kathy's voice was shaking, and full of raw emotion.

"Kathy, it's me… Akari."

"Oh! Just a minute…" Akari heard the lock turn from the other side of the door. Kathy still wore her pajamas; a tank top with athletic shorts. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face mottled.

"Kathy, what happened?" Akari asked, leading Kathy over to the bed and making her sit down.

"Akari," Kathy began, "I think I might be pregnant…"


	11. Resolve

Akari sat, stunned at what she had just heard.

"Kathy, are you sure?" she asked, careful to be diplomatic.

"Y-yeah. All of the symptoms match up. Oh, Akari, what am I going to do?"

"First we need to make sure that you really are pregnant. You need to go to the doctor."

"I can't do that! What if my dad gets the bill? How will I explain that?"

"Kathy, don't be unreasonable." Akari said, exasperated, "You need to go in." Far from convincing her, this only caused Kathy to cry harder. Akari sat silently, at a total loss for what to do. "Maybe the Wizard could be able to tell? He seems like he has some knowledge of the human body. I can go get him if you want. Would that be better?"

"P-please." Kathy said, looking desperate. Akari left quickly, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. She found the Wizard right where she had left him.

"Akari," he said, his eyes widening, "What is wrong? Did something bad… happen?"

"I'm fine, but I need your help. Could you come with me?"

"Yes, of course." He looked bewildered, but allowed Akari to lead him back to the Brass Bar. She passed an utterly lost looking Hayden without saying a word. When they arrived at Kathy's room, the Wizard began fidgeting and looking uncomfortable. Clearly, he was not used to being in the vicinity of emotional women.

"We just need to know, can you sense… Another life in this room? One that wasn't here before?" Akari asked.

"I think… Yes, there is a definitely a fourth heartbeat. Akari, are you..?" His eyes widened dramatically.

"No, no, it's not me… It's, ah." Akari glanced at Kathy, who looked completely and utterly lost.

"Oh…" The Wizard looked relieved.

"What am I going to do?" Kathy asked the both of them.

"You need to tell Owen. Uh, it is Owen's, right?"

"Of course it is!" Kathy snapped.

"Anyway, you need to tell him. If the two of you get married soon, how is anyone going to know when the baby was conceived? You won't start showing for a while."

"The doctors will know." Kathy moaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Kathy, I'm sure if you just talk to Irene, she'll keep it a secret. The rest of the townspeople aren't going to keep track of the specifics of your pregnancy. But you can't wait around, and you really should go to the doctor…"

"Yeah… I suppose you're right. Oh my god, what is Owen going to say?" Kathy asked.

"He's a good guy, and I think that he'll be there for you. But he deserves to know before everyone else."

"Yeah. I'll have to go see him. After my face gets a little less red, huh?" she had stopped crying.

"If you want… I can give you a potion… It will delay the symptoms… For a little while…" The Wizard said, looking more at ease now that the crying had ceased.

"You can?" Kathy asked, her eyes bright, "Yes, yes please. That will help."

"I will go fetch it…" the Wizard retreated, looking relieved.

"Thanks Akari. I'm sorry that you had to see that." Kathy said, looking at the ground. "I guess this means that everything is going to change, huh?"

"Well, yes." Akari said, banking on honesty being good for Kathy, "But once you tell the right people, I think that you'll feel better. Tell Owen; have him go into the doctor with you. It's up to you who else you want to tell at this point, but I think that your dad deserves to know the truth."

"Let's just take this one step at a time." Kathy said hastily. "And the Wizard… He won't?"

"Don't worry about him. He won't say anything."

"I didn't think so." Kathy said. Then the two of them were silent. The Wizard returned soon after, with a bottle containing some viscous blue liquid.

"It will taste bad… But it should keep you from showing signs for a while… And it won't harm the baby…" the Wizard told her, setting the bottle on her vanity. "If that is all, I think that… I will be going."

"Yes, thank you very much." Kathy said. "You can go now too Akari. I'll let you know how it all goes."

"Good luck, Kathy." Akari said, waving to her and exiting with the Wizard. "Don't worry Hayden, she'll be okay. Just give her a little time."

"Oh thank god." He let out a large sigh, "Thank you Akari. I won't ask what was wrong; she'll tell me if she wants to. When she's ready."

"Yeah. I'll see you later." She and the Wizard now stood outside of the bar, awkwardly avoiding each other's gaze.

"Uh, thank you very much for helping." She said, bowing.

"It was no trouble…" he said, scratching the back of his head. "I'm happy that I could help…"

"Look, I'm a little shaken up, do you mind if I go back to your place to catch my breath?"

"By all means…" They walked the short distance to his house. He pulled out the chair at his desk, gesturing for her to take it, which she did gratefully. He leaned sat on the desk itself, gazing up at the ceiling.

"Well," Akari began, attempting to break the awkward silence, "That was certainly unexpected. I'm sorry that I got you involved."

"It's okay…" he said, looking genuine in his acceptance of that day's events, "I am glad that… I was able to help."

"I really hope that everything works out." Akari said, looking up at the ceiling as well.

"I'm sure that it will. She is… Strong willed."

"That's an understatement." Akari laughed, "Oh. I know that it won't be a problem, but Kathy doesn't want anyone to know about this."

"I figured as much…" the Wizard nodded his head. "I won't tell anyone…"

"I didn't think that you would. I trust you." Her words seemed to carry more weight than she had originally intended. She seemed almost surprised to hear them come out of her mouth, but she knew that it was true. She had placed her faith in him, and he had gone above her own expectations. She completely trusted him.

"That is… An honor… I trust you too…"


	12. The Year Ahead

Akari prepared for the end of the year, clearing out the final crops, leveling out the land where it had been neglected, and foraging for the remainder of wild items that she could sell for profit. She leaned against her hoe, wiping her brow. Upon reflection, Akari felt that the business with Kathy had been resolved with remarkable ease, once she had gotten the most difficult parts out of the way. Owen, as Akari had predicted, had proposed to Kathy, and their wedding was only a few days away. Akari was preparing to be not only the maid of honor, but also her child's eventual godmother. And through all of this, no one outside of those who already knew suspected Kathy's condition, although many in the town did find her recent lack of drinking to be odd. Kathy waved it off as wanting to cut back on weight for the wedding. And who could argue? Akari had heard of much more drastic pre-wedding diets.

_What a year,_ Akari thought, looking up into the cold winter sky. _Holy hell, what a year. With any luck, I'll be able to revive the Harvest Goddess within the next month. Have I really only been here for a year?_ She looked around at the farm buildings, which had been ramshackle shadows of what they were today. She remembered what the Wizard had said about reflecting upon the past year, and how he did not usually enjoy doing so. She wondered vaguely if he would find more positive things when he looked back on this year. _In any case,_ she thought as she continued leveling the earth, _if this past year was so eventful, I can't even imagine next year. I wonder how many couples will get married, now that Kathy is getting the ball rolling? We'll have an entire new population of children, and knowing some of their parents… _ Akari's thoughts trailed off and she laughed, _Well, in any case, it's sure to be interesting._

Akari prepared herself for the New Year's festival. According to Hamilton, there would be a few contests. She tucked a diamond into her pack, and shipped the remainder of her wild items, walking slowly in the direction of Harmonica Town. Soon, the snow would melt, the animals return, and the temperatures would rise. After thinking about how many good things had happened to her that particular winter, she was a little sad to see it go, but the promise of a greener landscape was enough for her to favor Spring over Winter.

When she arrived in Harmonica Town, Akari was surprised to see the Wizard out enjoying himself along with other residents of Castanet. This was, as far as she knew, a first. He was chatting contentedly with Hamilton, who seemed to be somewhat confused on who exactly the Wizard was. Not wanting to interrupt, Akari instead sought out Shelly, who was selling clothing.

"Happy New Year, Shelly!" she said, smiling while perusing hair bands.

"And to you. I see that a certain someone has braved the town to see you." She said, covering her mouth and laughing softly.

"Oh, I don't know if that's why he's here." Akari said, smiling in spite of herself. "He's been a lot more social lately, hasn't he?"

"Well, I think that you're about to find out." Shelly said, nodding in the direction behind Akari. Akari turned around to find the Wizard smiling at her, but looking a little anxious.

"Do you have... time today? I ... want to talk."

"Yeah, there aren't a lot of people here yet. I've got time." She thanked Shelly for her time, waving goodbye and promising to come back to finish shopping.

"Let's go… Over to the lighthouse. It's more private…" Akari followed him, wondering what he wanted to talk about. The Wizard scratched his head, seeming to be mentally preparing himself to say something.

" Witches and wizards don't tell people their names... It's said that those who know your name... Can control you."

"Wow… That's pretty scary to think about." Akari said, understanding for the first time why he had never told her his name. "That explains a lot, really."

" But I want you... to know my name... If you have feelings for me... I want to share it with you." He said, blushing profusely, but continuing along, his voice steady. Akari paused for a moment, letting the full gravity of his statement sink in. But, how to respond without sounding like an over-zealous schoolgirl? She planned each word carefully before saying it.

"I would like that. I would like to say your name… I like you. A lot." Despite her mental preparation, Akari stumbled over every word, but felt as though she did herself at least a little justice in the end. He certainly seemed to stand by his decision to talk with her, as he was grinning widely.

"I see… that's enough… For now. I'll tell you my name… When we swear our love. You're the only living human I will tell my name to…" he said, managing to look her in the eyes. _His eyes are so intriguing,_ she thought, looking into them, _they must be that way because he's a Wizard, I suppose._

"I would like that very much." Akari said, still managing to hold their gaze. Gently, almost timidly, the Wizard leaned forward, planting a soft kiss on her cheek, leaving a warm spot on her otherwise frigid face. He pulled away moments later, seeming to hesitate for a moment. After only a instant, he leaned forward a second time, gently gripping her shoulders as he pulled her close, his lips ghosting across her own. The effect was instantaneous. Akari's heart leapt into her throat, a spike of adrenaline ran from head to toe and back again, coursing through her body, and she stood rooted to the spot. After a moment, they broke apart, both smiling like fools, but neither meeting the other's gaze.

"Good, I'll… Walk you back." The Wizard said, taking her by the hand.


	13. I Want To Be With You

The day of Kathy's wedding came on a bright, warm Spring morning. As Akari would come to learn was traditional, the wedding was a rather small event, with only the couple's closest friends and relatives in attendance. The ceremony was short, yet pretty, and Akari could not help but notice that the Wizard's potion seemed to have produced the desired effect. Kathy wore a figure-fitting dress with no signs of showing. Akari was exceedingly grateful, for her own sake as well as Kathy's, that Kathy had been spared the embarrassment. When all was said and done, Akari still had enough time to make her usual visit to the Wizard's house. Still dressed in her more formal wedding outfit, she knocked on his door.

"Akari…?" he answered, opening the door and inviting her inside, "How was the wedding?"

"It was great! That stuff that you gave Kathy really worked. I couldn't tell at all."

"I'm glad." The Wizard smiled serenely. "I wonder… if many other people in the town will get married now…? Many of them come to me… Asking about love."

"I wondered about that too. Now that one couple has done it, I'm thinking that many of my friends are going to take it as a sign that it's time. Maybe it'll all be some kind of chain reaction."

"That would be amusing…" he said, smiling vaguely, "So… How has your Spring been…?"

"Busy." Akari said truthfully, "I planted a whole crop of Cocoa seeds. I'm hoping for a nice profit from it. But the animals have become restless again, being mating season and all, so that complicates life on the farm. Do you like the Spring?"

"I… Have seen many more seasons than any human… I do like the spring, but I think… That I like the winter more. Winter is more quiet, more serene. It is easier to concentrate and take in the world around you… The sky is more clear."

"How old are you, exactly?" Akari asked, realizing that she had no idea. A moment after the words had passed her lips, she realized how rude she probably sounded, but the Wizard neither flinched nor showed any signs of ill will.

"I have seen… Many more moons than anyone that you know… I haven't lived as long as the Harvest King or Harvest Goddess... But I wouldn't trade a long life for the opportunity of having met you..."

Akari fidgeted, blushing. It might complicate their relationship if the Wizard did not age at the same rate that she did, but she figured that they would deal with that when it came up. Perhaps there was some magical way of handling things even. She decided to leave it alone for now.

"Are you okay…? You seem… Quiet." The Wizard looked concerned. "Did I say something that… displeased you?"

"No, not at all, I'm fine. I was just thinking about some silly things, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm glad that you're alright… Say…" he began, trailing off.

"Yes?" Akari asked, urging him on. It took him a while to get started, but when he did, he saw things through, Akari thought.

"Would you mind… Coming to the Church grounds with me? I'd like to… Talk to you about something…"

"Oh? Sure, let's go." The two of them made the short walk up to the parapets, the Wizard seeming all the while more flustered than usual. Akari tried not to speculate on what he wanted to talk about, lest she make herself more anxious.

"Akari… Have you ever thought about… Getting married?" Each word seemed to be chosen with the utmost care, but he managed to keep his eyes level with Akari's. Akari gasped, unconsciously looking at the ground.

"I… Have given thought to such things." She stood, in awe of what was happening. She had not dreamed in a million years that the Wizard would have brought her here with thoughts of marriage. He seemed to be determined, so she remained quiet, eager to discover what would happen next.

"…I want to be with you always." He began. Akari remained silent, not wanting to interrupt, "…Ever since we first met, I've liked you… You're different. You have exceeded my expectations, in a good way…" he leaned closer to Akari, his voice a whisper, "…Thank you. I love you." He moved forward again, tilting Akari's chin upward with his hand and kissing her firmly. He ran his fingers slowly through her hair for a moment before kissing her again. So many thoughts were rushing through Akari's mind that she found herself quite unable to speak. She managed to untangle her thoughts long enough to smile encouragingly.

"And… I want…" he paused, taking a deep breath, "To make the promise… real. Akari… Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Akari threw her arms around him. After a moment of bewilderment, he embraced her too, his face warm from his rather impressive blush. It had been so long since someone had held her; Akari let the embrace linger for perhaps a few moments longer than what was publicly proper, but regretted nothing.

"…When shall we get married? I would rather… Not have a large wedding… Something private… Would be nice. Maybe at night, when the moon and stars are out…"

"That sounds wonderful." Akari said. The others would know that they were married, but not until after the wedding, she decided. Kathy and Owen wouldn't even be back from their honeymoon for a few days anyway. There was no reason to have some large affair.

"Meet me at the church in four days… At night."

"Our wedding sounds like a robbery…" Akari said, still grinning ear to ear. The Wizard chuckled.

"'Being by myself... Is simple... Now I want to be with you... Interesting."


	14. Our Forever

**AN: Yes, here we have some definite lemon. If you don't want to read it, it's not essential to the story, and you can be on your way upon reaching it. It should be fairly obvious when it's going to start. You have been warned.**

With the help of the combined efforts Candace, Luna, and Shelly, Akari managed to obtain a rather stunning wedding dress. She had toiled all day in the mines, her reward being a perfect piece of Topaz, which she had fashioned into a ring that would match her new husband's right eye. Having also confided her nuptial plans with Selena, she left the island for the afternoon on the third day, returning with several new sets of intimate apparel. She had expressed her desire for a private ceremony to all who she asked for help, promising a public reception at a later date. By the time that her wedding day came, Akari felt thoroughly anxious, but confident that she had all the pieces that she needed. The wait was becoming torturous. Selena helped her pass some of the time by applying makeup and gossiping, but even that could not speed the arduous crawl of the hour hand.

There was so much mystery about what would happen this night. What kind of ceremony did the Wizard have in mind? And what about what would happen after the wedding? Akari felt her blood run cold. She had never had sex before, and despite what she may tell anyone else, the entire idea frightened her as much as it excited her. Would it hurt? What if she was no good? What kind of lover was the Wizard? Every time she managed to chase away one of these intrusive questions, three more surfaced.

As the evening neared, Akari thanked Selena for her time and sought a quiet place to change clothes. She did not want to be seen out walking in a wedding dress, as she did not have the time to explain herself. After a moment's consideration, she returned to the tailor shop. Candace and Luna were perfectly happy to help her into the dress and to make fussy adjustments where they saw fit. Akari assured them that she was somewhat pressed for time and managed to slip away with ten minutes to spare, arriving at the church at precisely 18:00. She took a deep breath and pulled the door open.

The Wizard was standing near the altar, serenely observing the scenery. At the sound of the door opening, he turned to face her. He smiled, offering her his hand. Akari slowly made her way up to where he stood, taking his hand. He held it gently, bringing it up near his heart.

"I shall be by your side, always. Faithfully."

"And I shall be by your side, always." Akari swallowed loudly, "Faithfully."

The Wizard grinned widely, "This ritual pleases me." he reached into his cloak, producing a beautifully crafted ring with an ornate red gem set in the middle, sliding it gently onto her ring finger. "It's garnet… It suits you."

Akari retrieved the ring that she had chosen for him. "It compliments your eye." She blushed. She slid it onto his ring finger, both of them admiring it for a moment.

The Wizard took her gently by the shoulders, pulling her close and placing a firm, burning kiss upon her lips. His grip on her tightened slightly, and the kiss was deepened immensely. The both of them came up breathless some time later.

"Shall we… Go home?" Akari asked, a furious blush upon her face. The Wizard, also blushing, nodded silently. The two of them made their way, faces glowing, through the town, which was mercifully deserted. Once they reached the path leading to the farmland, Akari began to grow nervous again. This was it. What now? In no time at all, Akari approaching the door to her house.

"Akari…" the Wizard said, causing her to turn around. Without warning, he caught her up in his arms, carrying her as easily as if she was a child. Instinctively, she clung to him, bewildered. "This is customary, is it not?"

"Yes." Akari laughed as the door opened on its own accord. Undoubtedly, the Wizard had taken advantage of some kind of spell. He set her down on the bed, retreating several steps hastily. Akari sat, unsure of what to do next.

"I…" The Wizard paused, looking flustered, "Listen… If you do not want children right away… I, uh… I made this for you…" he fished around in his cloak for a moment before producing a plain-looking red bracelet. "It will prevent you from… getting pregnant." He handed it to her, and she immediately put it on. The Wizard smiled, "Yes… I thought that might be the case."

Akari took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Sorry about all this. I'm just so nervous."

"It's okay, Akari. There is no need to rush." He told her patiently, once again admiring the ring on his finger. "Now we shall reside with each other in harmony. Oh, my name…" His eyes widened and Akari's heart skipped a beat, "Call me Gale."

"Gale." Akari repeated, some of her tension easing. He smiled encouragingly at her.

"Akari… I love you."

"Gale… I love you too." Akari said, catching him in her arms and holding him to her. Something inside her clicked, and she suddenly felt so warm, so much more at-ease, that she shook her unease away, at least for the moment. "Gale, I can't reach the zipper on this dress… If you would be so kind." Gale swallowed, nodding. He circled behind her, easing the zipper downward, his hands shaking slightly, until the zipper stopped at the small of her back. That done, he dutifully took her gloves, which she had already removed, and laid them carefully on the table. After taking a moment to steady herself, Akari let the gown slide down her body, leaving her clad only in a lacy lingerie set. Gale's blush threatened to overtake him, but he managed to undo the buckle that held his cloak, as well as kick off his shoes. The cloak fell, liquid, in a pool next to the wedding gown, his shoes landing haphazardly on the other side of the room. Akari's eyes followed his fingers as he struggled out of his shirt and undid the tie on his pants. After a moment's hesitation, he let his trousers fall to the ground as well, leaving only boxers. Akari gestured for him to join her on the bed, an invitation that he accepted, his breathing heavy.

Gale pulled her close, and she felt a wildly erratic heartbeat within his chest. It somehow comforted her to know that he was also nervous. He panted, placing a trail of kisses along her neck, warm breath hitting the resulting damp patches only amplifying the experience.

"Akari, you are so beautiful…" he whispered, returning to look her in the eye before bending her into an intense kiss. He guided her into a relaxed position, confirming that her head was rested on a pillow and that her body looked comfortable. He reached his hands under her shoulders, fiddling for a moment with the clasp on her bra before outsmarting the hook and eye. With a small smirk of triumph on his face, he removed the garment. Akari's heart took up residence somewhere around her throat and she swallowed again out of nerves. Gale reached out a hand, running it downward slowly starting from her shoulder. He traced a warm path down her arm, continuing onward to knead her breast. He then let his fingers dance from her chest to her hips, massaging gently. Akari, not wanting to seem greedy, reached between their bodies. Gales eyes widened as her fingers tugged at the top of his boxers, but he did not protest. Akari coaxed the fabric off of his body, still flushing deeply. Determinedly, she took him in her had, in awe at how soft the skin was, and how firm he had already become. Gale let out a soft moan, which appeared to embarrass him. Akari grinned, feeling powerful and a little bit reckless. Gale's eye narrowed, but did not close completely as Akari stroked him, his breaths ragged and desperate. Akari received a shock of her own when she felt her undergarments being tugged off of her hips. His touch was gentle, but firm and Akari nearly bucked her hips when his hand worked its way between her legs.

"Oh my…" she moaned, her eyes squeezing shut. They continued in this manner for an unknown length of time, and the temperature of their bodies became significant. As the two of them became more comfortable, Gale at last made his move.

"Akari… I wish to become one with you. I will try my best not to hurt you…" his words came much more quickly than normal, his face flushed from lust, "Are you ready?"

"Yes… I am." Akari told him, pulling him into another kiss. And although it was indeed somewhat painful and awkward at first, by the end, Gale had Akari gripping the blankets for dear life. Their eventual release took her by surprise, so powerful that Akari felt as though the world around them had burst, replaced by perfect waves of pleasure. When she regained her senses, Gale lay, collapsed, on the pillow next to her. He was smiling, his eyes soft.

"Akari." He caressed her cheek, speaking in a whisper, "I love you."

"I love you too, Gale." Gale pulled the covers over the both of them, sighing deeply.


	15. Future Plans

When Akari awoke, a sunbeam had already slid its way onto the bed sheets. Gale lay beside her, his bare chest rising and falling in time with soft breaths. She watched him, her heart aflutter, for a few moments before checking her clock, her mouth actually falling open in surprise. It was already 9:30. She could not believe it. Her movements seemed to stir Gale, whose eyelids slowly fluttered open.

"Good morning." He said, a content grin spreading across his face. He rolled over, wrapping his arms around Akari and pulling her close. Akari remembered that both of them were still naked and a very small amount of color stained her cheeks. She stroked his cheek, tracing her finger gently over his ear and fiddling with his earrings. The red flash of her garnet wedding ring once again caught her and she spent a moment admiring it.

"Nn? Akari, there's a note… On the doormat." Gale said, pointing suddenly at the door. Akari sat up, maneuvered herself around Gale, and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. Careful to avoid the pile of discarded clothing on the floor, and covering herself in a bathrobe, she tiptoed over to the note, picking it up and opening it curiously.

_Dear Akari,_

_I heard from Selena that you got married. Don't worry about your animals, I'll take care of them for the next couple days. I'll see to the crops as best I can, but I make no promises. Have fun on your "Honeymoon" and I expect full details when next we meet._

_PS Owen has already decided that it's a boy. He keeps calling my tummy "Roy." Personally, I hope it's a girl, just to prove him wrong. HA!_

_Love, Kathy_

Beaming, Akari relayed the note's contents to Gale, who sported a mischievous grin.

"That is a very kind service. We shall have to thank her properly… But not right now." He gestured for Akari to return to him, which she did willingly and hastily, abandoning the bathrobe. "Now… Perhaps you would like to pick up where we left… Last night?"

* * *

><p>Akari sighed, resting her head on her husband's chest. His heartbeat, recently so wild, was beginning to slow. In the back of her mind, a question had been burning to be asked, but she could scarcely think of how to bring it up. Absentmindedly, she drummed her fingers on his stomach, making him squirm slightly.<p>

"Gale?"

"Yes?"

"I've been wondering… I mean, you said that you've lived a lot longer than most humans." She felt him tense underneath her, "So, uh, I was just wondering if you're going to outlive me?"

"I…" he started, running his free hand through her hair, "I don't have to… But there are consequences."

"What do you mean?" She looked up so that she could see his eyes.

"Now that you know… my name, it would be very easy to… Tie your life to my own." Now he ran his fingers through his own hair, exasperated, "But when I say that it… Ties your life to mine… I'm serious. When I die, you die… If I were to be involved in… An accident or a fight… And died, you would also… Die."

"I see… But, I would trust you to keep my life safe." Akari told him seriously.

"Akari… I…" Gale looked bewildered, but Akari hushed him by placing a finger over his lips.

"If you need some more time to think about it, I'll leave the subject alone for right now. I'm not in any big hurry."

"I… Thank you." Gale said, looking relieved, "It's not that I do not want you to be with me for my entire life, but… I just need a little time to think about it."

"I understand." Akari kissed him on the forehead, settling back down beside him. They were both silent for a time, and then he spoke once again.

"From the beginning… I knew that because I'm a wizard... I might live longer than you...When I thought about that for the first time... I felt lonely..." he said, giving her a squeeze, "But… I don't want anything that I do… To put you in danger. And, you need to think about it too… You will not age with your friends… You will outlive them by many, many years… You will stay young while they grow old… And eventually, you will see them die…"

"That sounds incredibly lonely." Akari said, shocked. She had never before really considered the full implications of a long lifespan.

"It is the price that… Magical beings pay for their powers…" Akari nuzzled against his neck, kissing him gently.

"But," she said, choosing her words carefully, "I wouldn't want you to live that way... Without companionship. If you could share your fate with another person, it would make the years less lonesome."

"I agree… But I'd like to think about it… For a little while, still." He said, shifting his weight slightly, "I'm not saying no… Just asking for a little time."

"I understand." Akari said, rolling onto her back and stretching her limbs, "Oh, it's gotten a little late. Would you like me to get you something to eat?"

"If you would… Could you make me some tea? …Or perhaps coffee, if you do not have tea?"

"I'll make you some tea, I've got herbs in the fridge." Akari laughed, putting her bathrobe on as she got up to prepare a snack. "I also have some fish, if you want a meal."

"As long as it's not… Octopus." He smiled, sitting up, "I… _Hate_ octopus."

"Don't worry, it's just cod." Akari laughed, amused by his complete dislike for something as mundane as octopus. She got to work, stewing the tea leaves and seasoning the fish. She considered for a moment before speaking. "Say, after we're done eating, perhaps we should take a bath? We might not need to worry about the animals or plants for a few days, but bathing is pretty important."

"That sounds good…" Gale said, sifting around through his clothes and pulling his pants back on, "Is there anything I can do… To help?"

"You can stand around and look good, if you want." Akari laughed, "But don't worry, I've got this."

When the food was prepared, the two of them sat together at the little dining table in the center of the room, smiling serenely. Akari sighed happily as they shared their first of many, many meals as husband and wife.


	16. Return To Work

The next couple of days were easily the best of Akari's life. She had truly been skeptical of married life, but found now that she was experiencing it firsthand, that she quite enjoyed it. Gale had also developed a certain happy glow, which Akari suspected was some kind of magical matter. Regardless of the reason, seeing him scratching Kitka's ears and he sipped his coffee gave her a certain amount of satisfaction. On the fourth day after they were married, Akari awoke to another note shoved under the front door.

_Akari,_

_Well, your grace period is up, I can't do this forever, you know. Especially now that my pregnancy is starting to show – pretty significantly too, I'll have you know. So from now on, you'll have to take care of your own animals and plants. I have moved into the blacksmith, by the way. I expect to see you sometime today._

_Kathy _

Akari laughed as she read it, and Gale shifted to look at her questioningly. Akari read the letter to him, and he smiled.

"Akari… I would like to learn how to help… On the farm." He told her, standing up. "Is there anything that I can do…?"

"Hm," Akari said, bringing her finger up to her chin, thinking, "You can accompany me while I do my morning chores. If you want to try something, just tell me. Things like collecting eggs and feeding aren't that difficult. But it's really up to you, every little thing helps." He followed her outside, waiting patiently for her to water the crops. Akari grinned. As nice as the past few days had been, she was also happy to be back at her routine. When she turned around to find Gale, he wasn't there. Bewildered, she spun around in a circle, searching for him. When she did locate him, he was in the field, pulling weeds.

"This is something… That I can do." He said, yanking a weed out of the ground and throwing it on top of a small pile that he had already accumulated. Akari was pleased. Picking the weeds, while she knew was important, usually got forgotten. When Gale had finished, she led him into the chicken coop.

"Be careful, they'll peck you." She told him and they were swarmed. Gale instinctively put his arms over his face, looking shocked. A moment later, he lowered them, his face determined-looking. Akari showed him the feeding system as well as the mayonnaise maker. He nodded, scooping up that day's eggs and nimbly stepping around the poultry.

"This is also something that I can do… If it helps." He said, placing the eggs in the mayonnaise maker.

"Yes, thank you. This will be a big help. So, that's weeds and chickens for you, crops and barn animals for me." Akari nodded, happy with the arrangement. Any less work for her meant greater possibilities. Perhaps now that she did not have to spend so much energy, she could invest in another cow, or maybe a few more crops. As she was scheming, she failed to realize that Gale was finished with his task, and looking at her expectantly. "Oh, sorry. I'll go take care of the barn animals now. You don't have to worry about them, but you can come with me if you like." Gale nodded.

As of now, Akari's barn was a little empty. She had one each of cow, sheep, and horse. She fed all of them, brushed them, and gave them a pat on the head. Akari turned to see Gale gazing intently at Diablo.

"Oh, that's Diablo. He's pretty well-tempered." She fished around in her pocket, pulling out a carrot, "Here, this is the easiest way to become friends with him," she laughed, pressing the carrot into Gale's hands. He held it up for the horse, who gladly accepted his offering.

"I've always… Loved horses." He told her, watching the horse munch happily on the carrot, "They make life much easier… And they look… Majestic."

"Have you ridden much?" Akari asked, picturing Gale, a staff in hand, atop a black steed with a legion of knights following him. She laughed softly at the image.

"I have… Just not in a long time."

"Well, you're certainly free to ride him whenever you see fit." Akari said, shrugging. Gale pet Diablo a couple times before following Akari out of the barn. "Now's usually the time when I take a bath." She told him, scratching the back of her head and smiling.

"Ah… That is also something that I can assist you with." Gale smiled, his eyes mischievous.

* * *

><p>After kissing her husband goodbye, Akari made her way down to the Garmon Mine district. She entered the blacksmith shop, giving old Ramsey her regards.<p>

"How's that watering can working?" he asked, eying it beadily when she took it out of her backpack to show it to him.

"It works perfectly. The upgrade made it much easier. Thanks again for that." She bowed, "Say, is Kathy here?"

"Yeah, she'll be in the back room. Go ahead in." Akari entered the back room, finding Owen and Kathy's room on the left side. She knocked, listening for a response.

"Owen's out in the mines right now." Called Kathy's voice, "If you want to see him, you should come back tomorrow."

"Kathy, it's me. Can I come in?" Akari called.

"Oh, yes, please come in." Kathy responded. Akari pulled the door open, finding Kathy alone in her new room, sitting at the desk. Akari's eyes widened when she noticed the definite bump in Kathy's stomach. Instead of her usual cowboy outfit, she was wearing a long, loose-fitting pair of jeans with a dress shirt that covered up her midriff.

"So, how was the honeymoon?" Akari asked her, trying not to stare.

"Not bad, but I mean, we didn't really do anything that we hadn't already done, you know? It was nice to get away, though. But once that potion that your man gave me wore off, it really wore off." She said, indicating her belly. "We should be able to know the sex of the baby soon."

"Still hoping to prove Owen wrong?" Akari asked dryly.

"Yes." Kathy said, matter-of-factly, "But I'll be happy no matter what. I'm more concerned about it being healthy."

"Yeah."

"So," she began, her voice taking on a definite tone of slyness, "What was up with the secret ceremony?"

"He didn't want a big wedding," Akari shrugged, "And it was a little unorthodox, you know how people in this town are. Thank you, by the way, for taking care of the animals for me."

"I figured that the two of you wouldn't be leaving anywhere, but I still wanted you two to have some privacy, at least at first. By the last day, I made Owen take care of everything but the chickens. Your cow, as it turns out, really hates him."

"Really? That's funny." Akari laughed.

"So, I suppose that we'll have to start planning your public reception then?"

"Yeah," Akari scratched the back of her head, "I suppose so."


	17. Her Decision

Akari's prediction of an impending storm of weddings was realized the next morning when she checked her mailbox. Instead of the usual flyers for upgraded stores, Akari found three decorative white envelopes. She brought them inside, showing them all to Gale, her eyebrows raised.

"It appears that we've created a monster." She told him, "Well, us, Kathy, and Owen."

"Oh my." He chuckled, looking at each letter in turn.

"Yeah," Akari folded her arms, "Candace and Julius, Gil and Luna, and Jin and Anissa." She counted off of her fingers, "Can't say I'm really surprised."

"You'll have to clear up your schedule…" he told her, straightening the envelopes and setting them down on the table.

"Look," she said, placing her hands upon Gale's shoulders and rocking side to side slightly, "Would you mind if we postponed our reception for a little while? It's getting pretty busy around the town right now."

"As you wish." He said, looking a little relieved. Akari leaned forward, kissing him softly.

"Well, I'm off to see Kathy and do some errands. I'll be home around 16:00." She waved to him, exiting the house and heading toward the mine. For all that she had said about being patient with Gale's decision regarding her life, it had begun to nag at her alarmingly frequently. First it had just been the memory of that conversation, but it had progressed to anxiety quickly. And always at the most inopportune times too, such as now, when she walked away from the man she knew she should be talking to.

_It is his decision, really. But it's also my life, so is it actually up to me? Nah, I'm just being selfish. Or is he just being difficult?_ She groaned, shaking her head, _He is my husband, after all. If I don't trust his judgment, what kind of wife am I? As if life wasn't complicated enough already._ She rolled her eyes, crossing the bridge that separated the Garmon Mine district from her farmland. _Maybe I should bring it up to him again tonight? I mean, I can just drop it if he doesn't want to talk about it. There shouldn't be anything wrong with that. Right? _

Before she truly realized where her feet had carried her, she found herself not at the blacksmith, but at the door to the accessory shop. She shrugged, figuring that she ought to say hello to Mira, as long as she was right here. She opened the door and found her at her usual place behind the counter.

"Oh, hello Akari." Mira said, waving and smiling serenely. "How do you like that ring that I made for you? The topaz one. Does it suite your husband?"

"Yeah, it's great." Akari told her, "It matches his right eye perfectly, and he seems to really like it. Thanks again for making it."

"It was my pleasure. I very much enjoy seeing couples in love. It reminds me… Well, of my husband." Her valiant attempt to keep her voice even was tarnished by the slight shake at the end of her sentence. In an attempt to patch things up, Mira smiled again.

"Oh." Akari said, feeling awkward. "I'm sorry to have brought back that memory."

"It's quite alright." Mira said, her smile genuine this time, "I've been trying, trying to not let being a widow define me. I'm sure that it will get easier with time."

"I'm sure. Well, I hate to cut this short, but Kathy's expecting me. I'll see you around." Akari said, waving to her and quickly taking her leave. As innocent as Mira's intentions had been, their conversation had only served to make Akari more anxious of her situation with Gale. It had filled her with a kind of urgent worry that she rarely experienced. After a moment's indecision, she decided to honor her word to Kathy, and walked the short distance to the blacksmith's. Kathy was once again in the bedroom, and Owen had returned to the mine.

"Sweet Harvest Goddess, Akari, you look awful." Kathy said, her eyebrows raised, "Is everything alright?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain." Akari sighed, "How do I put this… Hypothetical situation: Your, uh, best friend is the Harvest Goddess…"

"…Okaaaay?" Kathy said, looking utterly lost. Akari pressed on all the same.

"And you want to be her companion forever. So she tells you about a solution: Your life would end the same time as hers. The exact same time, regardless of cause. And since she's a goddess and stuff… The two of you will be around for a while longer than all of your friends, so it would lead to loneliness too."

"Akari, calm down." Kathy said, concerned, "Look, either you're planning to elope with the Harvest Goddess—Not recommended—or there's a bigger problem here."

"I just… Don't know what to do." Akari said, dropping her poorly-constructed act, "I want to live with him for his entire life, but he's worried that I'll regret it."

"I thought that this would end up being about the Wizard." Kathy said, her voice neutral, "Look, I'm not great at the whole advice thing. But I'd say to go with your heart on this one. He's your husband, tell him how you feel! Didn't you give me this exact same advice when I got pregnant?"

"You're right." Akari sighed, "My dislike of conflict will be the death of me. Thanks Kathy."

"No trouble. Now get out of here and talk to him." She said, smiling as she gestured at the door. Akari smiled as well, heading back toward the house and assembling her argument in her head. She was home significantly earlier than she had anticipated, but found Gale at the table, reading.

"Akari." His eyes widened upon seeing her, "What's wrong? I've been getting… Distressing signals from you today…"

"Gale, I know that I told you that I'd give you time to think about it, but I really want you to know my feelings about sharing your lifespan." Gale looked at her, his expression patient, and waited for her to continue. Akari took a moment to collect her thoughts before pressing onward. "We pledged to be together. That's all that I want. To be with you. I know that it will be difficult to see people pass and leave me behind, but I can get through all of that if I have you to support me. And I will support you, because I would not wish that fate upon anyone who does not have a companion to share it with." Akari waited, breathless, for his reply.

"Akari… I did not know that you felt so… Strongly about this…" Gale said slowly, "I can see… That it has caused you a lot of worry… Please understand that that was never my intent… But if you are certain, one hundred percent certain… Then I will arrange the ceremony… And I will be happy to do so." He grinned softly, standing up and pulling her to him. He kissed her on the forehead, holding her as she sighed in relief.

"There is nothing that I am more certain of." Akari told him, determined and relieved in equal amounts.


	18. Tied

Gale took her by the hand and led her away from the farm. Akari did not ask where they were heading; she did not want to say anything that might damage his tentative resolve. Looking around, she saw that they were making their way toward Flute Fields, but he did not stop even when they had reached the fields, instead entering Fugue Forrest. Akari kept close to him, not wanting to get lost. He guided her through twists and turns, until at last, when they had reached the heart of the forest, his pace slowed.

"Yes… This should be perfect…" he placed his hand on a tree trunk, closing his eyes, "The forest is… Strongest here." Akari stood quietly where she had stopped, still wary of upsetting him. He offered his hand to her again, his eyes warm, but a small crease in his brow. She took it, allowing him to draw her in close. "Akari, are you sure that you want to do this…? I cannot undo it… After it has been done."

"I'm sure." Akari assured him, careful to keep her voice even. Gale nodded, holding her hand up to his heart. Akari, who was now so accustomed to feeling his slow, steady heartbeat, was comforted by the familiar sensation. Gale in turn placed his hand just over her left breast, a touch that was both intimate and chaste in nature.

"When I nod at you, repeat what I say… But use my name instead of yours…" Gale instructed, his hand twitching very slightly from what Akari could only assume was nerves. She nodded, and Gale drew a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, they held an unnatural glow.

"Trees and rocks,

Streams and heavenly beings,

Bear witness to our souls.

Born as two separate,

We have reunited as one complete whole.

If it be your will, bind our shattered being."

Winds whipped at Akari's face, growing stronger as Gale continued. Blinding lights were beginning to form around the two of them, spherical in shape, and an array of different colors. Gale's voice began to slip away from her, becoming distorted and unintelligible. How was she going to say her end of the spell when the time came? She closed her eyes, fighting against the physical maladies that were assaulting her. Gale's voice was almost completely drowned out by now, but she could still feel his heartbeat beneath her palm. She focused all of her energy on the soft pulse that connected their two bodies, and slowly, his voice became discernable once again. She peered at him through half-closed eyelids.

"Our bond is yours to hold or break,

Akari and I await your judgment."

Gale nodded at her. Fighting to make her voice heard in the torrent, Akari eventually coaxed the words from her own mouth. As soon as she reached the word 'judgment,' however, the forest was instantly restored to its normal state. The wind ceased instantly, the light dimming to one that suited the heavy foliage. Akari gasped, completely drained, her vision blurred, and eventually faded to black.

* * *

><p>When she awoke, she remained on the forest floor, her limbs heavy, but her senses sharp. With a groan, she rolled over to find Gale next to her, his breathing heavy. Now she understood why going somewhere unpopulated was so important, that scene was probably visible from Horn Ranch at the very least. Without warning, Gale's eyes snapped open, widening dramatically as he turned to look at her.<p>

"Oh good… You look well…" His voice was even more slow and quiet than normal. Akari got the impression that he had performed an excessively advanced bit of magic.

"Yeah… I'm alright… So, did it work?" she found her own voice equally troublesome.

"Yes…" he smiled at her, reaching a hand out to grasp her own, "Yes, Akari… Thank you… For staying with me."

"Thank _you_, Gale…" Akari said. A great feeling of relief swept through her. The knowledge that she truly was going to remain with him until the end comforted her greatly. The two of them lay in the same place until the sun set, gathering all of the energy that they could before braving the journey home, where they both collapsed, still thoroughly exhausted.

"Perhaps I should ring Renee and ask her to care for the animals tomorrow…?" Akari said, watching enviously as Gale shed his clothing and flopped into bed.

"That… Would be advised." Gale smiled.

"Hmph… It'll be my luck that I'll wake up at 6 tomorrow and not be able to sleep." She said, mentally hoping that she had not jinxed herself. Gale chucked from beneath the covers. Akari made the call to Renee, who had no trouble hearing the weariness in her voice. She insisted that Akari go to bed, assuring her that the farm would be taken care of. Akari thanked her profusely before joining her husband, who pulled her close, whispering in her ear.

"I love you. I want to be with your forever and ever. And… To love you until the very end."


	19. Being By Ourselves Is Simple

The days passed quickly and spring's cool burst of life became summer's intense heat. Akari had finally gathered all of the wishes that were needed to restore the purple bell. She had dutifully climbed to the summit of the mountain and spoken to the Harvest King. After a small amount of confusion and anger, the two of them had discovered that they did have the means to restore the Harvest Goddess. Although the other residents of the town had no inkling of Akari's involvement in her revival, Akari was not keen on revealing it to anyone. The Harvest Goddess had returned, and that is what was important. Her crops had become more fruitful, the animals seemed more at ease, and the townspeople just appeared happier in general. Many weddings had occurred in a very short amount of time, setting the path for a plethora of subsequent pregnancies. Kathy was due any time now, and Akari had gone to visit her as she had so often in the past. Much to her protests, Kathy had been ordered on bed rest, and Owen was not about to let her skip out on what Irene had commanded her to do.

"Oh." Kathy grunted, looking over her enormous belly at Akari as she entered the room, "It's good to see you."

"And you. How has today been?"

"Irene told me that I should be ready to go into labor at pretty much any point now." Kathy told her, shrugging, "At this point, I just want this thing out."

"That's pretty harsh sounding." Akari told her, raising her eyebrows.

"That's because you don't know what it's like. Say, when are you gonna have kids anyway? Everyone else in town seems to have them, and you've been married longer than most of them. You gonna get on that or what?"

"Oh, I don't know. I've been thinking about it, but I'm just not sure." Akari fished around in her brain for a distraction, "So, you gonna have Irene tell you the baby's sex, or are you determined to wait?"

"Don't try to change the subject, but yeah, we're still going to wait. Roy if it's a boy, Rowena if it's a girl."

"Cute names." Akari commented.

"So, what with all the commotion that has swept through the town, I've noticed that you've once again been able to avoid the public ceremony that you once promised."

"oh… Have I?" Akari's face grew warm. She knew well that she had managed to dodge a bullet.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to bring it up." Kathy told her, waving her hand dismissively.

"Thanks, I'm sure my husband would thank you as well, if he were here."

"I'm sure. Well, it's just about time for my nap. I hate to kick you out, but I need all the sleep I can get at this point."

"By all means. Have a good sleep." Akari took her leave, absentmindedly plucking at the bracelet charm that Gale had given her on the night they were married. Did she want children? Or did she want to wait. There was no reason to rush things, they had a long time to make a decision. Was Gale even interested in children at all? The more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed to her. There was no reason that asking him could hurt. She returned to the house, finding him at the table, reading. She smiled at how familiar the image was to her.

"Oh, Akari… Welcome home." He smiled, closing his book and standing up to greet her. He placed a small kiss upon her forehead.

"Glad to be home. Say, Gale. I have a question, if you don't mind."

"Of course, go ahead…"

"Well, have you ever thought about having kids?" she asked, feeling a blush on her face. She couldn't place why this of all things embarrassed her, but there it remained.

"I have… Why do you ask?"

"Well, I mean, everyone else in the town is having them, so I dunno, I just thought that maybe we should think about it." Akari rambled.

"Hm… I do not think that I am ready for a child… Quite yet. I'd really rather keep you… To myself for a little while." Gale told her, scratching the back of his head. Akari mulled his words over in her head, feeling that this was a fair judgment to make. After all, having a baby would change everything, and now that Gale had voiced a certain amount of trepidation, Akari wasn't sure that she was ready to give their current lifestyle up just yet. She smiled broadly at Gale.

"That makes sense. There's no reason to rush."

"I do hope that you're not… Disappointed…" he said, looking apprehensive.

"Not at all. I don't want our child to be conceived on a whim." Akari told him, her voice joking but her intent serious. "Having a baby will be a great adventure, someday."

"I agree." Gale laughed, kissing her forehead once again, "Any child of yours couldn't help but be… special."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Akari laughed, ruffling her husband's hair. He offered her his hand and she took it, smiling softly. Yes, for now, Gale was the only love she needed in her life. And the island was bound to get far livelier due to the storm of incoming births. The pair of them were content, and she saw no reason to make any drastic changes any time soon. As her husband had once told her, being by themselves… Was simple.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, thank you all for reading. I'm afraid that this is all I could really conceive for this particular tale, but I will probably start a new story at some point in the near future. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed.<strong>

**~HazyMoonDragon**


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